Traffic simulating toy



June 19; 1928. 1,674,293

L. MARX TRAFFIC SIMULATING TOY Filed March 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l won 5 om 1H}... .11. R Y N. Y Y 1 o m (m m a R 3 ms m l u .1 m3 .0 -m Bf .N

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mm mm TRAFFIC SIMULATING TOY Filed March 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Lows Ma l ATTORNEYS LOUIS MARX, OF BROOKLYIQ', NEWYGRK.

TRAEFIC-SIIVIULATING TOY.

Application filed March 26, 192?. Serial No. 1'28 529.

'lhis invention relates to a toy, and has special reference to the provision of a mechanically operated toy designed to simulate or represent the movement of transit or traflie in a realistic manner. i

A prime desideratum of my present invent-ion centers about the provision of a traffic simulating toy, constructed to depict and represent movements ofrapid transit, traffic or the like, one of the preferred embodiments of the invention being designed to sim ulate in a natural life-like manner the movements and conducting of traffic in a busy city thoroughfare,

- Other prime objects of the invention relate to. the provision of a traffic simulating toy in which a plurality of toy figures in the forms of surface cars and automotive vehiclesare caused to move in an elongated loop orbit in such a manner as to simulate the movementof surface traflic in opposite directions on opposite sides of a roadway or thoroughfare; the further provision of a traffic simulating toy of this nature in which all of the toy figures are operated from a single motive source, preferably forming part of the toy; the still further provision of such a traflic simulating toy in which the means for effecting propulsion ofthe toy figures in their loop orbit is effectively concealed so to lend mystifying attractiveness to the child when the toy is set to operate; and the still furtherprovision of a'traflic simulating toy in which the various parts are interrelated in a manner to permit efficient, durable and fool-proof operation of the toy figures and the motor means therefor.

A further principal object of my present invention relates to a toy in which is simulated the movement of aeronautical traffic combined with the movement of other such surface traffic; this being accomplished by the provisioncf means for moving aeronautical toy figuresin an endless loop path similar to that provided for the surface vehicles; and in the preferred embodiment, the inven tlon comprises the provision of a single moti ve means for simultaneously operating the aeronautical and surface traffic figures.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the elements will be described hereinafter.

and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter more partlcularly described and sought to be defined in the claims; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a. toy show ing a preferred embodiment of my invention. i

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof with an intermediate section thereof broken away,

Fig. 3is a view thereof taken in the plane of the hue 3-4-3, Fig. l, and

' Fig. t is a view thereof taken in the plane of the line l-l, Fig. 1, with certain of the parts shown in a position different from that shown in Fig. l.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, which show one of the embodiments of my invention depicting the movement of traffic in a busy thoroughfare, the invention is shown to comprise in its general aspects an elongated platform generally designated vided for the surface moving figures F, the

aeronautical figures A being operated by i ieans connected-to the motor mechanism M.

lhe platform P, in the construction enemplified in't he drawings, is made to simulate a busy city thoroughfare with its opposite sides for streaming traffic movement in opposite directions, and said platform comprises an inner section 10 and an outer surrounding section ll, both preferably made of sheet metal, the outer section 11 being provided with a marginal skirt p rtion 11 for supporting the platform upon a support and for concealing the operating mechanism which is supported beneath said platform, rue inner and outer sections 11 and 12 of said platform P are spaced from each other to provide an endless or continuous slot 12 in the shape or form of a loop extending substantially the length of the platform P, which loop slot provides or defines a loop-shaped path or orbit for the movement of the vehicle figures 1 F, said loop-shaped slot functioning as will be described presently in cooperation with the motor means M. i

The platform P further includes a pair of terminal structures or housings 13 and '1 14: respectively which are arranged to overlie the ends of the loop orbit or slot 12, these terminal. structures or housings being designed and arranged. so that the vehicle fig ures I may be made to move .into and ap m pear to come from the terminal structures, said terminal housings being preferably also e of sheet material having its side and end walls allix'e'd marginally to contiguous portions of the skirt 11 of the platform, said l'ro'usings further including medial sections 13 and 1a respectively fixed to the inner section of the platform to aid in supporting the latter on the outer section of the-platform. Other means for supporting the platform section 10 on the outer section 11 nuiycomprise a plurality of braces 15, 15 arranged beneath the platform P and havingspaced tongues 15, 15 fixed to the platform section 11 and provided with a third spaced tongue 15 (see Fig. 4) fixed to the inner platform section 10.

For orl'iamen'ting the platform, and for aiding in more realistically representing a city thoroughfare, the same may be provided with a plurality of archway structures 16,

16 arranged intermediate the terminal housings 13 and l i, said arch vay structures being preferably designed street lighting units. each of which includes outer posts to 16?. 16" fixed to the outer platform section .11 and. an inner post 16 fixed to the inner platform section 10, said posts further functioning for supporting'one platform section on the other, providing rigidity for the parts along the whole length of the platform. Preferably also the platform may be provided with a plurality of fixed figures, such as 17, representing pedestrian tra'liic, and a figure 18 relfirer-senting a trallic oliicer "which "nay be made stationary or i'i'iovable as de:--.i.red to simulate the conducting of tratlic on the higl'iway.

One of the-principal objects of my prescut invention resides in the provision of motor mechanism for effecting the propulsion of the toy figures F so that these figures are "constrained to move in a definite loop orbit or path. and that such figures are effectively guided and operated in such move- 00 ment by means which. is normally concealed by the platform P. This motor n'ieirl'ianisn'i, heretofore designated generally as lsil. com prises essentially an endless cable 1.) arranged underneath the platform P and con- .5 cealed thereby, said cable being trained. over a plurality of sheaves or pulleys 20 and fixed to shafts 22 and 23 respectively which are journalled in opposite ends of the platform P, said sheaves or pulleys being also arranged beneath and concealed by the platform P, motion being imparted to the pulleys and cable by means of a motor (not shown) housed in a casing section 14? of the structure 1i. which motor is preferably of the spring type provided with a winding be 2 1-. and having a gear meshing with a drive gear 25 fixed to the shaft 23.

Tlhe figures F, which may for example couun'ise a pair of surface cars 26 and 27 and a pair of automotive vehicles 28 and'29, are connected to the endless cable 19 to be propelled by the n'iovem'ent of said cable by means of devices 30 fixed at one end to spaced parts of said cable 19, as shown in Figs. 2 to l of the drawings, and fixed at the other end to the figure vehicles, said devices 30 extending through the endless loop slot 12, all as most clearly shown in Figs. 2) and at of the drawings. The slot 12 and the connecting devices 30 cooperate to guide the movement of the figure vehicles in a constrained and definite orbit, the provision of the endless slot permitting said toy vehicles to be connected to a concealed motor mechanism. This endless slot 12 may also be designed to simulate the customary opening used for underground trolley cars; and the parts of the platform adjacent to said slot may be raised, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4; of the drawings, to simulate the customary car tracks.

In the preferred construction, each of the connecting devices 30 is designed so as to connect the vehicles to the cable in a manner to prevent accidental removal of the toy vehicles from the platform, and so as to cause the cable to impart a translational move ment only to said toy vehicles. To accom-- plish this. each of the devices 30 comprises a terminal portion 30 in the form of a fork the tines of which are arranged to grip the cable 19. a tongue portion 30 extending in a direction opposite to the terminal portion and functioning to prevent upward removal of the connecting device 30, and an upvardly extending portion 30 loosely extending through the vehicle, such as 29, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the upper ends of which are turned over, as shown at 30, to prevent accidental removal of the vehicle from the connecting means. By means of this construction, the device 30 -.y move ascendingly or-descendine ly relatively to the vehicle figure so that the figure may always rest upon the platform P and be given only translational movement, this facilitating not only the movement of the figures, but the non-binding movement of the motor elements conected thereto. It will be "further seen that with this construction a vehicle, figure may be readily removed and replaced by another Whenever desired, this beingaccomplished by merely upturnmg the top tongues 30 and removing the vehicle posite sides of the thoroughfare, this being accomplished by the provision of an endless cable neatly concealed by the platform P,

the moving figures being connected to said concealed cable in a manner to effect the propulsion of said figuresin afixed orbit. It. will be further seen that all of the moving elements are compactly organized, particularly for a toy of comparatively large dimensions, and all the moving figures are operated from a single energy source also concealed in a terminal structure or housing of the toy.

As heretofore mentioned, a desideratum of the invention includes the provision of a traific toy of the character already described in which aeronautical traffic is combined with surface simulated traflic. To this end I prefer to provide a second endless cable 31 trained over a pair of sheaves 32 and 33 fixed respectively to the shafts 22 and 23, and to said cable 31 are attached the plurality of aeronautical figures A which may comprise a pair of simulated dirigibles 34 and 35and a pair of simulated aeroplanes 36 and 37, all built of light-weight material. Each of the aeronautical figures may be snspendedly attached to the endless cable 31 by means of an L shaped element 38 fixed at one end to the aeronai'itical figure and at the other end to the cable, in a manner similar to that heretofore described for the connecting device 30. To permit the ready detachability of the endless cable 31 and to produce a desired tautness' in the same during operation, this endless cable preferably includes a resilient or spring section 39. lh'eferably and for the purpose of keeping the concealed cable 19 taut in a similar manner. the same is also provided with a resilient or spring section such as 40.

By the provision of this last-recited construction, it will be further apparent that the aeronautical figures A are also moved in a loop-shaped orbit simulating traffic movement in opposite directions, and these aeronautical figures are operated by the ne motor means which actuates the surre moving figures F.

The use and operation of my improved trafiic simulating toy and the many advantages thereof in providing an attractive and interesting toy will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. It will be further apparent that while, I have shown and described my invention in its preferred form, that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim: 1. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer surrounding section, said sections being spaced apart to provide therebetween a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, said slot simulating a surface car track slot, terminal housings at the opposite ends of said platform arranged over the ends of said loop slot, a toy figure movable on said platform over said car track slot in a continuous path or orbit defined by said loop and mo able into and from said terminal housings, and mechanism for effecting the pro pulsion of said toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the figure to sa d cable and means for moving said cable.

2. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer surrounding section, said sections being spaced apart to provide therebetween a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, terminal structures at the opposite ends of said platform, a toy figure movable on said platform in a path or orbit defined by said loop: and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of said toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the figure to said cable. a shaft supported in each end of said platform, and concealed by said terminal structures, a pulley on each shaft arranged beneath the platform, the said cable being trained over said pulleys, and a spring motor supported in one of said structures and operatively connected to one of said shafts.

3. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer surrounding section, said sections being spaced-apart to provide therebetween a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, a toy figure movable on said platform in a path or orbit defined by said loop; and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of said toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means for moving said cable, and a device connecting said figure with said cable, said device extending upwardly Lil) through said slot and extending loosely for independent vertical movement through the figure to which it is connected whereby movement of thc'cable imparts a translational movement only to said figure permitting the figure to contact said platform in its orbital n'iovement.

4-. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer surroumling section, said. sections being spaced apart to provide there between a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, terminal structures at the opposite ends of said platform, said structures providing means for supporting the inner section on the outer section of the platform, archways intermediate the terminal structures also supporting the inner section on the outer sect on, a'toy ligure movable on said platform in a path or oroit defined by said loop and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of said toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said, mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the figure to said cable and means for nmvirig said cable.

5. in a toy of the class described, an elongated platform con'iprising an inner section and an outer surrounding section, said sections being spaced apart to provide therebetween a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, a toy figure movable on said platform in a path or orbit defined by said loop, mechanism for effecting the propulsion of said toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means er-ztending through said loop slot connecting the fig re to said cable; a second endless cable supported above said platform, an aeronautical toy figure fixed to said second cable, and means connecting both said cables for conjointly moving the same.

6. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform con'iprising an inner section and an outer surrounding section, said sections being spaced apart to provide there between a continuous slot in the formof a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, terminal structures at the opposite ends of said platform, a plurality of toy figures mov able on said platform in a path or orbit de lined by said loop; mechanism for effecting the propulsion of said toy figures in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the figures to said cable, a shaft supported in each end of said platform, a pulley on each shaft arranged beneath the platform, the said cable being trained over said pulleys,

and a motor supported on one of said structures and operatively connected to one of said shafts; a second endless cable arranged above said platform, pulleys at the upper end of said shafts over which said second cable is trained and aeronautical toy figures suspendedly attached to said second cable.

7. in a toy of the class described, an elongated platforn'i defining a thoroughfare and having its opposite sides designed for traflic running in opposite directions, terminal structures at the opposlteends of said platform, a. motor supported in one of said teri'ninal structures, a toy figure movable on said platform in a continuous loop-shaped path or orbit, mcchanisn'i for eifec 'ng the propulsion of said toy figure in said path or orbit, said mechanism including an endicss cable to which said toy figure is connected, a second endless loopshaped cable supported for movement above said plat form, an aeronautical toy figure attached to said second cable and means connect-ed to said motor for operating the said cables in unison for moving all of said figures.

S. .in a toy of the class described, an elongated platfmrm defining a thoroughfare and having its opposite sides designed for traftic movements running in opposite directions, terminal structures at the opposite ends of said platform, a motor supported in one of said terminal structures, a plurality of toy figures movable on said platform in a continuous loop-shaped path or orbit,

inechanisi'i'i for effecting the propulsion of said toy figures in said path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable to which said toy figures are connected, a second endless loop-shaped cable supported for movement above said platform, a plurality of aeronautical toy figures attached to said second cable and means connected to said motor for operating the said cables in unison for moving all of said figures.

1). 1n a toy of the class described, an elongated platform delining a thoroughfare and having its opposite sides designed for traf tic movements running in opposite directions, terminal structures at the opposlte ends of said platform, a motor supported in one of said terminal structures, a plurality of toy figures movable on said platform in a continuous loop-shaped path or orbit, mech anism for effecting the propulsion of said toy figures in said path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable to which said toy figures are detachably connected, a second endless loop-shaped cable supported for movement above said platform, a plurality of aeronautical toy figures suspendedly and detachably attached to said second cable and means connected to said motor for operating the said cables in unison for moving all of said figures.

10. In a toy of the class described, an

Iii

elongated platform having means simulating a street thoroughfare and comprising an innor section and an outer section surrounding the inner section, said sections being spaced apart to provide thercbctween a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, a terminal structure at at least one end of said platform, a toy figure movable on said platforn'i in a continuous path or orbit defined by said loop, said figure being movable over and in registry with said slot; and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of the toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the toy figure to said cable, a shaft supported at each end of the platform, a pulley on each shaft arranged beneath the platform, the

said cable. being trained over said pulleys,

and a motor supported in a terminal struc-.

ture and operatively connected to one of said shafts.

11. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer section surrounding the inner section, said sections being spaced apart to provide therebetween a continuous slot in the form -of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, a housing structure on said platform, a toy figure movable on said platform in a continuous path or orbit defined by said loop, said figure being movable over and in registry with said slot; and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of the toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means intending through said loop slot connecting the toy figure to said cable, and a motor supported in said housing structure and operatively connected to said cable.

12. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer section surrounding the inner section, said sections being spaced apart to provide therebetween a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, said slot simulating a mid track rail slot, a housing structure on said platform, a toy figure movable on said plat form into and from said housing structure and in a continuous path or orbit defined by said loop, and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of the toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the toy figure to said cable, and a motor supported in said housing structure and opera tively connected to said cable.

1 In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer section surrounding the inner section, said sections being spaced apart to provide therebetween a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending lengthwise of the platform, a terminal structure at at least one end of said platform, a toy figure movable on said platform into and from said terminal structure and in a continuous path or orbit defined by said loop; and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of the toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the toy figure to said cable, a pulley on each end of the plat-- form arranged beneath the platform, the said cable being trained over said pulleys, and a motor supported by said platform and operatively connected to one of said pulleys.

14. In a toy of the class described, an elongated platform comprising an inner section and an outer section surrounding the inner section, said sections being spaced apart to provide ther ebetwcen a continuous slot in the form of a loop extending length wise of the platform, terminal structures on opposite ends of said platform, a toy figure movable on said platform into and from said terminal structures and in a continuous path or orbit defined by said loop, said fig-- ure being movable over and in registry with said slot; and mechanism for effecting the propulsion of the toy figure in said loop path or orbit, said mechanism including an endless cable supported below said platform and concealed thereby, means extending through said loop slot connecting the toj, figure to said cable, a shaft supported at each end of'the platform and at a terminal structure, a pulley on each shaft arranged beneath the platform, the said cable being trained over said pulleys, and a motor supported in one of said terminal structures and operatively connected to one of said shafts.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 23rd day of March A. D. 1927.

LOUIS MARX.

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